Welded joint



March 1l, 1952 o. R.,CARPENTER 2,588,700

WELDED JOINT .Filed Jqlyze, 1945 v Croloy 7 27C`r 4NI'.

/ 27 C/zromeron c 0.20 A Mn- 1.50 Z,

EQU/V. 7 oF 5 0. 018% @2f/'5 1Q. Carpenter P 0.020% BY M0 0.47 mw Fe Pemainder ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 11,v 1952 WELDED JOINT Otis R. Carpenter, Barberton, Ohio, assignor t I The Babcock & Wilcox Company, Rockleigh, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 26; 1945, Serial No. 607,173

4 Claims.

This invention relates to welding and more particularly to improvements adapted for advantageous use in the welding of corrosion resistant steels of high chromium content.

The invention is further concerned with such welding developments which have proven successful in the manufacture of pressure vessel appurtenances and other equipment adapted for use in systems involving corrosive fluids at ternperatures in the steel embrittlement range (600 F. to 1000 F.)

An object of the invention is to present Welding improvements involving welds constructed in a novel manner and capable of long continued use in pressure vessel equipment subjected to service temperatures within the above range.

A more specific object of the invention is to present a duplex metal weld of such characteristics that even the maximum embrittlement involved in the pertinent equipment in service will not reduce the toughness or ductility of the Weld to a hazardous degree.

A further object of the invention is to provide uX coated Weldrods which are particularly adapted for the arc welding of alloy steels of high corrosion resistance.

Another object of the invention is a Welding flux mixture which is productive of improved results in welding of alloy steels which have extreme air hardening and crack sensitivity characteristics.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a header and tube combination, the parts of which are joined by the use of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section of the Fig. 1 structure on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the flux coated weldrod employed in the welding of corrosion resistant steels of high chromium content; and

Fig. 4 is a view showing a flux coated weldrod employed in the welding of an alloy steel of lower chromium content, but less susceptible to embrittlement at service temperatures in the range of 600 F. to 1000 F.

Fig. 1 of the drawings illustrates a header I0 and a section of a tube I2 united by a circular weld ld. The tube and the header are of chrome iron of high chromium content and high corrosion resistance, and the combination is intended to ybe illustrative oi welded components of various shapes and dimensions, but all are particularly adapted for advantageous use in pressure vessels of fluid heat exchange installations subject internally to corrosive uids at service temperature ranges of 600 F. to 1000 F. 1

Tube I2 and header I0 are united by the root beads IE and I8 deposited in a groove formed by these elements and the backing up ring 20, by electric arc Welding employing a weldrod such as that indicated in Fig. 3. The composition of this weldrod is of an alloy steel involving a nickel content of the order of 4%, and a chromium content comparable to that of the tube and the header. Furthermore, the crack sensitivity of the high chromium content weld metal, and the extreme air hardening characteristic of the latter are alleviated by the lime-titanium flux coating 24 of the weldrod 22. This flux coating may have a lime content of the order of 25-50% and a titanium oxide content of the order of 0-30%, in an equivalent percentage analysis.

1n such an analysis the other ingredients of the coating may involve the following elements or compounds in the indicated ranges of equivalent percentages Percent SiOz 20-35 F8203 2- 8 A1203 0 6 MgO 0- 5 F 5-25 CO2 11-22 M113 O4 3-10 Na2O 2- 6 For the 27 chromium-4 nickel weldrod shown, coatings having the following equivalent percentages have been found to coact with the other elements of the welding to produce excellent results:

After the beads I6 and I8 of the 27Cr-4 Ni are formed, the remainder of the weld I4 is formed by the use of the coated weldrod 22, of an alloy known as Croloy 7. This terminology springs from the fact that chromium content of the Weld metal of the Weldrod is of the order of 7%. It also has approximately 1/2 of 1% of molybdenum. This weldrod preferably has a lime-titania coating indicated in Fig. 4.

This coating has the following analysis:

Equivalent percentages of Percent SiOz 22 .9

M11304 3.4 CaO 39.0

MgO 2.0

NazO 3.1

'However'. the range of Vthe equivalent percentages of the components of this coating is similar to the range of percentages given with respect to the coating employed on the weldrod 26 shown in Fig. 3.

The weldrod indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings is of the following analysis:

Percent C 0.08 Mn 0.46

Si 0.55 Cr 7.16 S 0.018

Mo 0.47 Fe,"` Remainder However, the range 0f elements in this composition may vary as indicated below:

Percent C OJO-Max.

Si 0.40 0.60 Cr 6.00 8.00

S 0.025-Max. P 0.025-Max. Fe Remainder The 27 chrome-iron of the header l0 and the tube l2, and the 27 Cr4 Ni weld metal of the beads I6 and I8, are subject to embrittlement When cooled slowly through, or held at temperatures of, about 600 F. to 1000 F. When such temperature ranges are encountered in service conditions, the consequent embrittlement of the high chrome metal would result in an unsafe weld, due to its lack of toughness. In the present invention, this difficulty is overcome by the formation of the main body of the Weld Yby the electrofusion deposition of the Croloy 7 steel which gives the weld a high percentage of toughness, when the weld structure is properly heat treated. Heating the finished weld I4 to 1375 F., followed by Water-quenching or other methods of rapid cooling, softens the Weld hardened Croloy 7 (or 7 Cr-1/2 Mo) weld metal, and imparts to the weld embrittled root beads IS and I8 (27 Cr-4 Ni) and to the heat affected 27 chromium-iron of the header I0 and the tube l2, a relatively high degree of toughness. In service involving temperature ranges from 600 F. to 1000 F., there will be embrittlement in only the 27 Cr-4 Ni weld metal and the 27 chromium-iron base metal, and the latter more than the former. The 7 Cr-/g Mo Weld metaly retains its original ductility.. However, the weld, as a Whole, retains, after consider.. able service, a toughness greater than that of the 27 chrome-iron of the base metal of the header and the tube remote from the Weld.

It is to be noted that the above described heat treatment involves a quick cooling through the carbide forming temperature range of the 27 Cr-4 Ni root beads I6 and I8. With this treatment the formation of chromium carbide in the root heads is minimized or substantially eliminated because there is insufcient time for its formation to any substantial degree.

I claim:

1. An installation for use involving a corrosive iluid at steel embrittlement temperatures (600 F.- 1000 F.) and comprising corrosion resistant steel components having substantially the following composition Percent balance iron and the usual impurities; and duplex metal welds uniting said components and each comprising a root deposit of a steel which, on quick cooling from temperatures above 1250 F., will retain its maximum resistance to corrosion without excessive increase in hardness and without excessive reduction in ductility, said steel having a chromium content of the order of that of said components and a nickel content of the order of 4%; and a deposit overlying said root deposit and filling the remainder of the weld groove and of a steel which can be cooled quickly from 1375` F. or below without appreciable hardening but which will harden when cooled quickly from above 1375 F., and which has good ductility when quenched from 1375 F., said last-named steel having substantially the following composition C` 0.08% Max. Mn from 0.40 to 0.60% Si from 0.40 to 0.60% Cr from 6.00 to 8.00% Mo from 0.40 to 0.60% S 0.025% Max. P 0.025% Max.

balance iron and the usual impurities.

2. An installation for use involving a corrosive iluid at steel embrittlement temperatures (600 F. 1000 F.) and comprising corrosion resistant steel components having substantially the following composition Percent C 0.20 Mn 1.50 S 0.025 P 0.025 Si 0.75 Ni 1.0 Cr 26.0-30.0 N 0.l2 0.25

balance iron and the usual impurities; and duplex metal welds uniting Said components and each comprising a root deposit of a steel which, on quick cooling from temperatures above 1250 F., will retain its maximum resistance to corrosion Without excessive increase in hardness and without excessive reduction in ductility, said steel having a chromium content or" the order of that of said components and a nickel content of the order of 4%; and a deposit overlying said root deposit and lling the remainder of the weld groove and of a steel which can be cooled quickly from 1375 F. or below without appreciable hardening but which will harden when cooled quickly from above 1375 F., and which has good ductility when quenched from 1375 F., said last-named steel having substantially the following composition Percent C 0.08 Mn 0.46 Si 0.55 Cr 7.16 Mo 0.47 S 0.018 P 0.020

balance iron and the usual impurities.

3. An installation for use involving a corrosive fluid at steel embrittlement temperatures (600 F.1000 F.) and comprising corrosion resistant steel components having Percent C 0.20 Mn 1.50 S 0.025 P 0.025 Si 0.75 Ni 1.0 Cr 26.0-30.0 N 0.12-0.25

balance iron and the usual impurities; and Cluplex metal welds uniting said components and each comprising a root deposit of a steel which, on quick cooling from temperatures above 1250 F., will retain its maximum resistance to corrosion without excessive increase in hardness and without excessive reduction in ductility, said steel having substantially the following composition C from 0.10 to 0.15% Mn from 0.60 to 0.70% Si from 0.40 to 0.60% Cr from 28.0 to 30.0% Ni lfrom 3.5 to 4.5% N from 0.15 to 0.17%

balance iron and the usual impurities; and a deposit overlying said root deposit and filling the remainder of the weld groove and of a steel which can be cooled quickly from 1375 F. or below without appreciable hardening but which will harden when cooled quickly from above 1375 F., and which has good ductility when quenched from 1375 F., `said last-named steel having substantially the following composition C 0.08% Max. Mn from 0.40 to 0.60% Si from 0.40 to 0.60% Cr from 6.00 to 8.00% Mo from 0.40 to 0.60% S 0.025% Max. P 0.025% Max.

balance iron and the usual impurities.

4. An installation for use involving a corrosive fluid at steel embrittlement temperatures (600 F.-l000 F.) and comprising corrosion resistant steel components having balance iron and the usual impurities; and duplex metal welds uniting said components and each comprising a root deposit of a steel which, on quick cooling from temperatures above 1250 F., will retain its maximum resi-stance to corrosion without excessive increase in hardness and without excessive reduction in ductility, said steel having substantially the following composition C from 0.10 to 0.15% Mn from 0.60 to 0.70% Si from 0.40 to 0.60% Cr from 28.0 to 30.0% Ni from 3.5 to 4.5% N from 0.15 to 0.17%

balance iron and the usual impurities; and a deposit overlying said root deposit and filling the remainder of the weld groove and of a steel which can be cooled quickly from 1375 F. or below without appreciable hardening but which will harden when cooled quickly from above 1375 F., and

which has good ductility when quenched from 1375 F., said last-named steel having substantially the following composition Percent C 0.08 Mn 0.46 Si 0.55 Cr 7.16 Mo 0.47 S 0.018 P 0.020

balance iron and the usual impurities.

OTIS R. CARPENTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,762,483 Norwood June 10, 1930 1,835,900 Rode Dec. 8, 1931 1,876,724 Gregg Sept. 13, 1932 1,896,411 Maskrey Feb. 7, 1933 1,934,065 Hermanson Nov. 1, 1933 2,016,585 Basore Oct. 8, 1935 2,060,765 Welch Nov. 10, 1936 2,118,693 Arness May 24, 1938 2,156,306 Rapatz May 2, 1939 2,158,799 Larson May 16, 1939 2,233,455 Larson Mar. 4, 1941 2,244,064 Hodge June 3, 1941 2,249,629 Hopkins July 15, 1941 2,294,650 Bechtle Sept. 1, 1942 2,306,421 Arness Dec. 29, 1942 2,405,666 Norwood Aug. 13, 1946 

1. AN INSTALLATION FOR USE INVOLVING A CORROSIVE FLUID AT STEEL EMBRITTLEMENT TEMPERATURES (600 F.1000F.) AND COMPRISING CORROSION RESISTANT STEEL COMPONENTS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FOLLOWING COMPOSITION 